The site will be available through October 30 and the Board is required to take these comments into consideration.
Individuals are encouraged to provide comments/concerns/questions about REPA. PLEASE be sure that comments are made to the most recent version of REPA, available at http://www.doe.in.gov/news/2009/07-July/09-481_Proposed_Rule.pdf.
We really do need comments, questions, and concerns here as (in our view), the powers that be are counting on the apathy of Indiana citizens--let's prove them wrong!
One of the rationales for these rule changes is a "teacher shortage." While the facts of this charge (in Indiana) are debatable, it also ignores the research on the CAUSES and SOLUTIONS of said teacher shortages. Actual (not make-believe) research shows that teachers who leave the profession at the highest rates are not leaving due to retirement. In fact they tend to be younger teachers who leave because of working conditions in schools. (see research by Richard Ingersoll, Linda Darling-Hammond, Bill Firestone, and others). When policy makers care about the quality of learning and teaching in ALL schools enough to address the right problem, perhaps more attention will be paid to the necessary resources and supports to improve working conditions...As a 2006 report on North Carolina schools (incidentally, a system held up by our State Supt. as an exemplar) states in its title: Teacher working conditions are student learning conditions.
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